Before the Phoenix Mercury's Ring of Honor adds Diana Taurasi's name on Sunday, Aug. 16, a street sign outside of Mortgage Matchup Center received a much-needed update.
Nearly a decade after Taurasi surpassed Tina Thompson as the WNBA's all-time scoring leader with 7,489 points in 2017, Taurasi's numbers were changed Thursday, Aug. 13, to reflect her final total of 10,646.
"We put up a street sign when she broke the WNBA scoring record, but then she just kept going so we needed to update the sign," Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said after the ceremony. "Her induction in the Ring of Honor seemed like the perfect milestone to celebrate."
As part of the ceremony, a new mural done by Phoenix-based muralist Paige Reesor was unveiled, showcasing Taurasi
and her achievements during her 20-year career in Phoenix.
Taurasi drove to Phoenix from Los Angeles the day before and reflected on her busy weekend ahead. She will be the sixth person inducted into the Ring of Honor, joining her wife and former teammate, Penny Taylor.
"Phoenix is home now, so to be able to do this on this weekend, it's really incredible," Taurasi said. "I want to thank the mayor for her vision, knowing how important this is to not only our organization, but to the city. ...
"We put that Mercury jersey on for our city. That's always number one. Everyone who comes here for the first time knows it's the most important thing."
Taurasi, who grew up in Chino, California, had never been to Phoenix prior to being drafted first overall in 2004. And now, she's made it her permanent home with Taylor and their two children.
The UConn product helped lead the Mercury to the franchise's three championships in 2007, 2009 and 2014. The title wins in 2009 and 2014 saw her walk away with the Finals MVP award.
As the last traditional guard to have won the MVP award in 2009, Taurasi's impact still remains on the league. Kelsey Plum, one of the star guards who grew up idolizing her, attended her ceremony.
"(Taurasi) was the reason I started playing basketball," Plum said on Aug. 5. "She actually texted me today and said there's no one she'd rather have (on the Mercury)."
Taurasi knows that the ceremony will be a who's who of people who have helped her in her career, starting from the beginning. She's not only excited to see those from the basketball world, but the generations of fans who grew up with her.
"When you see a lot of faces that mean a lot to you that you haven't seen in a while, it brings a lot of emotions and memories of all the great times I had here," Taurasi said. "Even today, just looking around and seeing people I haven't seen in a long time.
"Hopefully on Sunday, it's a nod to the future and the next generation of not only athletes, but the next generation of how we move this community forward."
Reach the reporter or send tips for stories at jenna.ortiz@arizonarepublic.com, as well as @jennarortiz on X.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Diana Taurasi sees her street sign updated as Ring of Honor day nears
